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[PICTURES] Faheem Ashraf returns to the fold - but will FA 2.0 be any better than before?

Alongside his change ups. Had anyone noticed that he has been relying a lot on seam movement?

In white ball this year. He has been the one bowler who is getting consistent seam movement. Nipping in or out.
 
Faheem Ashraf outfoxes Mishara with a clever slower ball, forcing a mistimed hit that loops to mid-on for a simple catch and Sri Lanka’s first wicket down.
 
The thread title reminds me of "The Umar Amin of 2020 is better than the Umar Amin of 2010".
 
Kusal Mendis runs himself out trying a non-existent second run after nudging Faheem Ashraf’s delivery to third man, gifting Pakistan another wicket.
 
Credit to Faheem for his performances. I also think Hesson deserves some praise here. Guys like Faheem, Nawaz and Sahibzada always had talent, they just needed the patience and encouragement to approach their ceilings as cricketers and we’re FINALLY seeing that now.

It’s the one thing that many many Pakistan national team coaches have not demonstrated I.e. making the most of your talent.
 
Faheem Ashraf managed 3 runs off 4 balls before being run out by Sikandar Raza and Evans.
 
Faheem Ashraf's 5-17 Haul Crushes Chattogram Royals in BPL 2026

The Pakistani all-rounder claimed 5-17 in 3.5 overs to spark a collapse, bundling the Royals out for just 102 in 17.5 overs after Riders captain Nurul Hasan Sohan chose to bowl first
 
Most 5fers in T20s among Pakistani players:

- Shaheen Afridi: 5
- Faheem Ashraf: 4*
- Hasan Ali: 3
- Mohammad Sami: 3
- Umar Gul: 3
- Wahab Riaz: 3
- Imad Wasim: 2
- Mohammad Amir: 2
- Shoaib Malik: 2

Faheem Ashraf just took his 4th 5fer!
 
Faheem Ashraf speaking during the Post-match Media Conference after the BPL game:

“You can see that for the past eight to ten days we’ve been doing it regularly, and we are part of it too. Over the last three days, the preparation has been very good and executed well according to the conditions.”

“The conditions matter a lot, and we bowled according to conditions. We share information among ourselves as Pakistanis, but we also try to gather insights from local professionals here about how the pitch behaves. For example, in the first three matches, our friends collected information about how the pitch was playing, because it keeps changing. What you see today may not be the same tomorrow, and last year’s pitch on this side is not the same now. So, the effort is always to gather information and adjust our plans accordingly.”

“Today’s conditions were different, so the plan was different. If tomorrow the conditions are not cloudy, then again, the approach will change. At night, the situation is different too. The focus is always on adapting to the conditions and playing accordingly.”

“Toss matters as well. This was the case in the first match, in the second match, and again now. It matters, but it depends a lot on your mindset. In T20 cricket, mindset plays a huge role. The toss is not in anyone’s control, but your combination and mindset determine how you perform.”
 
In the Rangpur Riders vs Dhaka Capitals BPL match at Mirpur on January 17, 2026, Faheem Ashraf made a decisive impact with the ball, picking up 2/43 in his four overs, including the key wickets of Usman Khan and Abdullah Al Mamun.
 
Faheem Ashraf is like if you tried to buy a seam-bowling all-rounder off Temu. He can do it all, but not very well or at a particularly high level of effectiveness
 
Faheem has been doing okish job but in presense of Shadab and Nawaz, I think we can make him sit on bench...
 
Nearly there cricketer, doesn't have enough skills to be good but isn't terrible. No improvement from the debut whatsoever though. It's not him, it just feels that every Pak cricketer is just stuck in time or going backwards as they age in terms of their cricketing skills.
 
A player in the mould of Mark Ealham , Ian Austin, Roonie Irani & Craig White. Pakistan should rethink about having in the XI #rellukatta
 
Did not bowl a single over today against Dutch side in the 1st game of T20 WC

If he is not bowling, why is he in the side??? His batting is not that good that he plays as specialist batter??
 
Specialist batter at number 9 - excellent strategy once again.
Astounding how a bowler whose bowling is not trusted by his captain keeps getting selected at the expense of a specialist batter in a notoriously brittle batting lineup.
 
Clutch knock from Rana g... Proving his selection right with the bat
 
Once Rana lost a final of a tournament, the winner never got their trophy till this date :rana
 
G0rmintAunty said:
Where are the people who were asking what Faheem was doing in the team now?
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Here. Still don’t agree with his selection over Fakhar unless he bowls more. If he must play then one of the bowlers or allrounders should go and not a specialist batsman.
 
It’s so refreshing to see a late hitter coming in and going against the odds by changing a losing game into a winning game. Razzaq 2010s vibes.

Pakistan cricket and certain players should thank Faheem; saved them from shame.
 
G0rmintAunty said:
Really? Fakhar?
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Yes. Faheem might have won you this game but an extra allrounder at 9 who does not bowl will very rarely win you games. A top order bat is much more important. Of course if the management thinks Faheem should play then one of the other allrounders should sit out.
 
Rana Razzaq Stokes.

There used to be a poster baba jee who used to lose his mind everytime Fahim would perform.
 
G0rmintAunty said:
Bro Just two posts above you were asking why he is in the side...
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yeah...question remains... He has not bowled a single over... Can he give us finishes with the bat every day??
\
it was a clutch knock but will not happen every game.
 
amvbfm said:
Yes. Faheem might have won you this game but an extra allrounder at 9 who does not bowl will very rarely win you games. A top order bat is much more important. Of course if the management thinks Faheem should play then one of the other allrounders should sit out.
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Faheem shud always be playing as he gives balance. The thing thick mgt doesnt know what a balance is..80 percent of time faheem is never used but how can you take a risk of reading a pitch you need minimum 3 pacers to cover you even in srilanka so he has to be 3rd pacer what we dont need is one million spinners saim is ur world no1 allrounder so him and two spinner
 
BouncerGuy said:
yeah...question remains... He has not bowled a single over... Can he give us finishes with the bat every day??
\
it was a clutch knock but will not happen every game.
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He has had great form the past year when he has come on to bat, with such an unpredictable line up, he very well deserves a place. We have enough spinners so our issue is batting not bolwing. We should play just one pacer and if needed Fahrem can contribute with the ball, his dibbly dobbly bowling will be perfect for SL pitches.
 
G0rmintAunty said:
He has had great form the past year when he has come on to bat, with such an unpredictable line up, he very well deserves a place. We have enough spinners so our issue is batting not bolwing. We should play just one pacer and if needed Fahrem can contribute with the ball, his dibbly dobbly bowling will be perfect for SL pitches.
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Seeing Shaheen bowling, we can drop him and let faheem bowl 2-3 overs if he is good enough and can do it.. Should be able to do it actually.
 
amvbfm said:
Yes. Faheem might have won you this game but an extra allrounder at 9 who does not bowl will very rarely win you games. A top order bat is much more important. Of course if the management thinks Faheem should play then one of the other allrounders should sit out.
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You are thinking from a normal/logical team's point of view. Not Pakistans. Given our unpredictable batting we need him at 9, we can go with one less pacer in SL and he can provide cover when needed.
 
Omer2002 said:
Faheem shud always be playing as he gives balance. The thing thick mgt doesnt know what a balance is..80 percent of time faheem is never used but how can you take a risk of reading a pitch you need minimum 3 pacers to cover you even in srilanka so he has to be 3rd pacer what we dont need is one million spinners saim is ur world no1 allrounder so him and two spinner
Click to expand...
I have no issues with Faheem as long as he is utilized and does well at his main strength - bowling. Innings like today are a bonus. My point was also about team balance. If you are going with just 4 specialist bats then they must be top class batters and in top form. But if you have the likes of Babar and Usman in your middle order and you fill up the rest with allrounders then at least to me it makes zero sense especially if some of those allrounders don’t bowl at all. Make of it what you will, but to me Agha not giving Faheem a single over on a greenish pitch suggests a lack of confidence in the player’s ability. He even gave Saim the 17th over yet Faheem was not brought on at all. This innings does nothing to justify his place in the team as an allrounder. If the management thinks he is good enough as a specialist bat or finisher then he should be batting at 6 and not 9.
 
Pakistan were struggling and they needed 29 from 12 balls. Entered Faheem Ashraf, who smashed 28 in the next eight balls to secure an unlikely victory for Pakistan. Today's match winner
 
amvbfm said:
I have no issues with Faheem as long as he is utilized and does well at his main strength - bowling. Innings like today are a bonus. My point was also about team balance. If you are going with just 4 specialist bats then they must be top class batters and in top form. But if you have the likes of Babar and Usman in your middle order and you fill up the rest with allrounders then at least to me it makes zero sense especially if some of those allrounders don’t bowl at all. Make of it what you will, but to me Agha not giving Faheem a single over on a greenish pitch suggests a lack of confidence in the player’s ability. He even gave Saim the 17th over yet Faheem was not brought on at all. This innings does nothing to justify his place in the team as an allrounder. If the management thinks he is good enough as a specialist bat or finisher then he should be batting at 6 and not 9.
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Absolutely well said
 
G0rmintAunty said:
You are thinking from a normal/logical team's point of view. Not Pakistans. Given our unpredictable batting we need him at 9, we can go with one less pacer in SL and he can provide cover when needed.
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A batsman at 9 will win you a very rare game like today. It’s just not worth carrying a player just for a once in 20-30 games innings like this if he is not bowling. If he is playing only for his batting then he should come up the order, else bowl more, or we would be better off playing Fakhar or Nafay up the order where they have a greater chance of making an impact. Of course Faheem can always play as a bowler or allrounder. My issue isn’t with Faheem’s selection but with his role in the team.
 
amvbfm said:
I have no issues with Faheem as long as he is utilized and does well at his main strength - bowling. Innings like today are a bonus. My point was also about team balance. If you are going with just 4 specialist bats then they must be top class batters and in top form. But if you have the likes of Babar and Usman in your middle order and you fill up the rest with allrounders then at least to me it makes zero sense especially if some of those allrounders don’t bowl at all. Make of it what you will, but to me Agha not giving Faheem a single over on a greenish pitch suggests a lack of confidence in the player’s ability. He even gave Saim the 17th over yet Faheem was not brought on at all. This innings does nothing to justify his place in the team as an allrounder. If the management thinks he is good enough as a specialist bat or finisher then he should be batting at 6 and not 9.
Click to expand...

He needs to bowl and even be the second pacer.

Emotions are running high so people will ignore the fact that this innings came against Netherland, a team that isn't a regular tier 1 team. The difference between V Beek and say a Cummins or Rabada are immense & even then he gave an opportunity that was dropped.
 
amvbfm said:
A batsman at 9 will win you a very rare game like today. It’s just not worth carrying a player just for a once in 20-30 games innings like this if he is not bowling. If he is playing only for his batting then he should come up the order, else bowl more, or we would be better off playing Fakhar or Nafay up the order where they have a greater chance of making an impact. Of course Faheem can always play as a bowler or allrounder. My issue isn’t with Faheem’s selection but with his role in the team.
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Like I said you are talking as a supporter of a fully functional India team. Logic/Normalcy doesn't apply to us.
 
GoUgandaCranes said:
He needs to bowl and even be the second pacer.

Emotions are running high so people will ignore the fact that this innings came against Netherland, a team that isn't a regular tier 1 team. The difference between V Beek and say a Cummins or Rabada are immense & even then he gave an opportunity that was dropped.
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Don’t even need Rabada, it would’ve been over had O’Dowd taken the catch.
Issue is we select players by name and not based on roles.
 
G0rmintAunty said:
Like I said you are talking as a supporter of a fully functional India team. Logic/Normalcy doesn't apply to us.
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There was a time when associate teams used to carry one or two players who neither bowled nor batted. These days even associates don’t carry any passengers. Everyone has a role, especially in T20s.

If logic doesn’t apply to us then why have such an extensive management team for planning and coaching? Why not totally do away with them :p but I understand your point.
 
Faheem Ashraf speaking during the Pakistan vs Netherlands pre-match press conference:

About finishing the game:

“When I came to the crease, it wasn’t such a crucial situation because there were still four to five overs left. At that time, I thought we would win normally. But as the dot balls kept coming, we didn’t take pressure because our plan was to target one over, and then the match would, God willing, become straightforward. That’s why we kept our focus under control, knowing that even if we played until the last ball, we would win.”

“Whenever you play such an innings for Pakistan, it stays as one of your memorable performances. I would say this will remain memorable for me and for Pakistan because it happened in a World Cup. Even if it wasn’t a World Cup, if it was a series and you played like this for your country, it would still be unforgettable.”

About not getting a chance to bowl in the match:

“This is about the team. Whatever the team needs at that time, we try to rely on that. If fast bowling was getting help, the captain would have used fast bowlers more. But as you saw in the first innings, spinners were getting a lot of help. Not bowling doesn’t affect a player’s mindset, because when you’re playing for the team, these things don’t matter. Your only effort is to contribute something to the team.”

About the match -winning knock:

“Our team was under pressure, but we won. The most satisfying thing is simply that you’ve won. It was the first match of the World Cup, and to win it and score the winning runs is the greatest satisfaction. Collapses happen in cricket — ups and downs are part of the game. Sometimes the top order won’t score, sometimes the middle order, sometimes the lower order. It’s very rare that all 11 players perform in one match. Those who didn’t perform today, God willing, will do so in the next match.”

About the pitch:

“We prepared according to the conditions here. In the first innings, spinners got help, exactly as we expected. But as the match went on and the sun came out, the pitch hardened, and in the second innings fast bowlers got more help.”

About that crucial catch drop:

“At that moment, the prayer wasn’t just from the tongue — it was coming from every part of the body, asking God for the catch to be dropped.”
 
He was always technically correct since his emergence in 2017, always loved his strokeplay. I remember no one in pakistan used to hit sixes like him back in 2017-2019.
 
amvbfm said:
Yes. Faheem might have won you this game but an extra allrounder at 9 who does not bowl will very rarely win you games. A top order bat is much more important. Of course if the management thinks Faheem should play then one of the other allrounders should sit out.
Click to expand...
Faheem is better than fakhar and babar nowadays as batsman
 
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